Can opener



Dec. 25, 1945. M. A. MIRANDO 2,391,732

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 7, 1944 WIIIIIIIIIAIIIVIIA i l I 'INVENTOR, Mn/Hs'l. MFA/J00 v r flTiOENEY Patented Dec. 25, 1945 CAN OPENER Michael A. Mirando, Providence, R. I., assignor to Imperial Knife Company, Inc., Providence, R. 1., a corporation of Rhode Island Application November '7, 1944, Serial No. 562,289

11 Claims.

' of the character described, having an outline of pleasing appearance and a minimum of sharp points, consistent with efficient operation.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a can opener of the character described which will engage and firmly grip a can as it opens the same.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplihad in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a knife from which there extends a can opener blade embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one side of the can opener blade as it appears when removed from the knife;

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the other side of said blade; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Can openers embodying the invention are essentially flat and are adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and to leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth. Heretofore, can opener blades of this character were subject to various drawbacks. For example, they were relatively expensive to manufacture, due to the presence of two spaced cutting points which were designed to pierce the can top at the front and back ends of the slit. Another difficulty was that the slits left by the blades were straight, whereas the outlines of can tops were usually circular. Attempts were made to avoid this latter drawback by curving the cutting edges of the blades; but, although this added considerably to the expense of manufacturing the blades, straight slits were still left, since the backs of the blades were straight. Another difficulty was that the fulcrum points tended to shift during cutting, thus giving the user an insecure feeling and requiring additional time and effort to open cans.

The improved can opener, now to be described, obviates all of the foregoing difliculties by employing a cutting edge whose rear end merges smoothly into the aperture which receives the rim of a can, by curving convexly the outer face of the blade, and by beveling the surface of the can engaging point that faces away from the can and beveling the surface of the cutting edge that faces toward the can.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, In denotes a pocket knife, of the type commonly known as a jackknife, which comprises a body l2 of conventional construction including two compartments l4, l6, into which divers blades are adapted .to be received in part upon the infoldin thereof.

The compartment l4 houses a conventional cut ting blade l8 and a reamer blade 20 which are pivotally mounted at opposite ends of the knife on rivets R and are of such construction that the ends of the blades overlap in closed position. A standard resilient block spacer 22 biasses these blades to either fully opened or fully closed position, in a manner well known to the art.

The other compartment 16 houses a long screw driver blade 24 and a can opener blade 26, the latter of which is the subject of this invention. Said blades are pivotally mounted at opposite ends of the compartment M3 on the rivets Rand are biassed to fully open or fully closed position by a second standard resilient block spacer 28. The can opener and screw driver blades likewise overlap in closed position.

Pursuant to the invention, the can opener blade 26 is composed of a single fiat piece of strong, tough metal, e. g. steel. This metallic piece comprises a flat body 30 connected by a slight offset 32 to a tang 34 pierced at 36 to receive a rivet R.

For convenience, in referring to the positions of various parts of the can opener blade, the following terms as employed hereinafter will have the meanings given below:

Top-the top of the blade as viewed in Fig. 8;

Bottomthe bottom of the blade as viewed in Fig. 3;

Upwardlytowards the top of the blade;

Downwardlytowards the bottom of the blade;

Front-the left end of the blade as viewed in Fig. 3;

Rear-the right end of the blade as Viewed in Fig. 3;

Belowa point lower than another point on the blade when the blade is held in the position shown in Fig. 3;

Front side-the side of the blade shown in Fig. 3;

Back side-the side of the blade shown in Fig. 4;

Outwardly-in a direction from the front side to the back side of the blade;

Inwardlyin a direction opposite to outwardly.

The body of the can opener blade includes two coplanar arms 38, 4B, which extend away from a base 42 adjacent the offset 32. The cutting arm 38 is considerably longer than the can engaging arm 40, and both arms are curved toward each other (see (Fig. 3), the cutting arm 38 being topmostlandl-curving downwardly toward its tip'AZ and thecan engaging arm 40 being bottom-most and curving upwardly toward its tip 44. Said arms are curved to such an extent that the tip of the cutting arm 38 is disposed considerably below the tip of the can engaging arm 40. This enables the cutting stroke to-be terminated when the knife is'about horizontal and does not require the knife to be raised to a position wherein the body l2 extends substantially upwardly from the rivet R on which the can opener blade is pivoted. It is pointed out that 'ahand is cramped whenmovinga knife to the latter position.

.; The, cutting edge is formedalong the bottom edge of the, cutting arm,-38. Said cutting edge .extends rearwardly from the tip42 and may have a lateral profile which isconcave downwardly from said tip to the rear 43 ofv the cutting edge,

as shownin Fig;- 3.; JIhe -cutti ng edg is, formed pby providing a:.beve 1;5ll on the front side of the blade.

Thecback' side offlthe blade is outwardlyfcon- .Vvexlycurved from the front of the blade to'near the rear of the cutting edge, as shown in; Eig fi,

saidcurved portionbeingdenoteol by thenumeral ;H 52. c..As a resultof this curvature, theouteriedge .of ..the slit in a can top: cut,.by the ,canopener .bladeifi, i. e. .thelcedge of'thehslit closest to the 4 rim of the can; .will.b cur ved to approximately conform to. the lcurved-contour,oft the, can. The

. inner. edge, of the: slit willtremainl straight since the front side. oLthebladaZfi. islplane. vHowever, this is not-important, since the portion; of the. can

top defined by. ,thelinner edge, of theslit. iseither lifted outiof the plane.of-etheicantop or, entirely removed from the can. i

The top. edge:.54 .of' the ;can;.engaging armAlJ may be upwardly concavely ,curved i and. merges ---smoothly and =unbrokenl5tzinto. theerear. :iedge fifi of a frontwardly opening aperture .5B.-.in. which the rim of a can is adapted tube-freely received Saidaperture is disposed between the. arms 38, -40,- and its topedgeefiflmergesnsmoothlyi and -unbrokenly intothe rear of; theccuttinggedge 46; thereby-eliminating a second point onithe cutting edge, The aperture fiilmay form a smooth and continuously curved opening so-that theblade will have apleasing appearanceandapermit the rim of a canto pass evenly and-freelytherethrough.

Thevtip 44 of the canengagingarm hasv at,

bevelfiZ on the back side of the blade which causes the point 64 of said tip to be located at the front side of the blade and thus be disposed inwardly of the cutting edge 46.. Infuse of the blade, the point 6 3 will be disposed outside.

of the rim of a can and'the cutting edge 46 inside of said rim. When a blade of the construction described is'placed in such position, it will be tilted out of a vertical plane. As a result,

the righting couple, automatically developed dur-,

ing operation, will force the point'fi l against the outside of the rim of a can and at the same time force the cutting edge 46 against the inside ,of the rim of a can. This causes the point64 to firmly grip the can rim and the cuttingedgeflfi to closely follow the can rim.

It will thus been seen that there is provided a device in which theseveral objects:of; thisginvention .are.achieved,,and which is well'adapted :.to.meet the conditions of practical use.

' iting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A can openerof the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose xposed edges are smooth,

said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging armboth extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can-engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart-adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two'armsin which the rim. of a can is adapted to be freely received, both of said arms being curved toward each other, said cutting arm-being topmost and curving. downwardly and said can engaging arm curving upwardly, said'arms being curved to suchan extent that the .tiptof the, cutting arm is considerably below the tip ofthe can. engaging arm so as to enable a cutting stroke of the can;opener to be terminated when the can opener is about horizontal, the bottom edge of said cutting arm being'beveled on the front side of the can opener to provide a cutting edge,-said cutting-edge being concave downwardly and merging at its rear end smoothly and Unbrokenly: into the, top fedge of said aperture,; the,backside,of t-the blade'being outwardly convexly curved from the front of the blade to near th rear of the cutting :edge

to impart to the outer edge of the slit a curved configuration approximately conforming: to the curved contour of the can, thetip of theacan engagingflarm, having, a bevel on; the back side of the'blade so' that the point of said canhengaging arm is disposed inwardly of theucutting edge whereby a righting; couple Will. be. automatically developedduring operation of the..can opener toicausethe point 0f;..the can engaging arm to firmly grip the can rim andcthecutting edge'to closely followtheqcan rim, saidvaperture being smoothly and continuously curved tozpermit the rimef. a cangtotpass evenly and freely therethrough.

2. A can opener of the type whichisadapted to cut downwardly through acantoprand leave a narrow slit whose.-cexposed edges. are .smooth, said-can opener comprising a base shaving acutting arm and anspaced coplanar. can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, asaid cutting arm being longer than said. can :engaging armand the arms being spacediapartradjacentsaid base-to provide a. frontwardlyopening aperture 'betweenusaid two. arms. in whicha-the I rimof a can isadapted toJbe freely.received, both of said arms'beingcurved toward each other; said cutting, arm beingetopmost andgcurving; downwardly andi-saidgcanpengaging armcurvingrupwardly,-said-arms being curved to suchan-extent thatgithe tipof, the:cutting ;arm;is:consid- .erably belowthe. tip cfnthe cangengaging. arm

7 top edge of J said apertura, the. ,back side ;of .lthe

to the curved contour of the can, the tip of the can engaging arm having a bevel on the back side of the blade so that the point of said can engaging arm is disposed inwardly of the cutting edge whereby a righting couple will be automatically developed during operation of the can opener to cause the point of the can engaging arm to firmly grip the can rim and the cutting edge to closely follow the can rim.

3. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, the bottom edge of said cutting arm being beveled on the front side of the can opener to provide a cutting edge, said cutting edge being concave downwardly and merging at its rear end smoothly and unbrokenly into the top edge of said aperture, the back side of the blade being outwardly convexly curved from the front of the blade to near the rear of the cutting edge to impart to the outer edge of the slit a curved configuration approximately conforming to the curved contour of the can, the tip of the can engaging arm having a bevel on the back side of the blade so that the point of said can engaging arm is disposed inwardly of the cutting edge whereby a righting couple will be automatically developed during operation of the can opener to cause the point of the can engaging arm to firmly grip the'can rim and the cutting edge to closely follow the can rim,

4. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, the cutting edge running along the bottom edge of said cutting arm, said cutting edge being concave downwardly and merging at its rear end smoothly and unbrokenly into the top edge of said aperture, the back side of the blade being outwardly convexly curved from the front of the blade to near the rear of the cutting edge to impart to the outer edge of the slit a curved configuration approximately conforming to the curved contour of the can.

5. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, a

cutting edge running along the bottom edge of said cutting arm, said cutting edge merging at its rear end smoothly and unbrokenly into the top edge of said aperture, the back side of the blade being outwardly convexly curved from the front of the blade to near the rear of the cutting edge to impart to the outer edge of the slit a curved configuration approximately conforming to thecurved contour of the can.

6. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow. slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, a cutting edge running along the bottom of said cutting arm, the backside of the blade being outwardly convexly curved from the front of the blade to near the rear of the cutting edge to impart to the outer edge of the slit a curved configuration approximately conforming to the curved contour of the can.

7. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, said aperture being an unbroken continuation of the bottom edge of said cutting arm and being smoothly and continuously curved to permit the rim of a can to pass evenly and freely therethrough.

8. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, the bottom edge of said cutting arm having a cutting edge running along the same, said cutting edge merging at its rear end smoothly and unbrokenly into the top edge of said aperture.

9. A can opener of the type which is adapted to cut downwardly through a can top and leave a narrow slit whose exposed edges are smooth, said can opener comprising a base having a cutting arm and a spaced coplanar can engaging arm both extending frontwardly therefrom, said cutting arm being longer than said can engaging arm and the arms being spaced apart adjacent said base to provide a frontwardly opening aperture between said two arms in which the rim of a can is adapted to be freely received, the bottom edge of said cutting arm being beveled on the front side of the can opener to provide a cutting edge, the tip of the can engaging arm having a bevel on the back side of the blade so that the point of said can engaging arm is disposed inwardly of the cutting edge whereby a righting couple will be automatically developed can rim.

10.. A can opener ofthetype which is:adapted to cutcdownwardly through acan top and :leave a narrow slit whose;exposededgesgare smooth, said can, opener comprising) a rbaseuhaving a cutting arm and a spacedccoplanarflcan .engaging ..-terminated whenthetcan opener is about horizon- ;-:;tal.

1.511.v A-- can openeriof the type which, is adapted :to .cutdownwardlythrough a can top and leave ,a narrow s1it-whose exposed edges'are smooth, :gsaid can opener vcomprising abasezhaving a cut- ..ting armand a spaced coplanar can engaging "armboth extending frontwardly therefmmxsaid ;cutting:arm:being longer than said can engaging harm bothyextending. frontwardly.therefromwaidloharm and the; arms being spaced apartadjaeent cutting" arm being longer thansaid 'can engaging arm 1 and .the arms: being spaced apart-adjacent xsaid basexto provide a'fitontwardly openingaperviture betweenzsaidltwo arms in'wvhichithe rimiof a .can is .-adapted;: to :.be.--ireely received, ,both rof V. 1 said arms being curved toward. each other, ;said cutting armubeing; topmost :and curving; down- -.:ward1y; and. said canxengaging arm .curvinggup- ,-;ward1y, said armsheing; curved to suchan extent thatrthe tip of, thezcuttingxarm is ;considerably ;.-below the tip of thegcan'engagingrarmz so :a'sz-to enable a ,cuttingistrokei of: thegcangopener to be :said baseto provide a frontwardly opening'aper- @ture .between said :.two arms in which the rim' of a can is adapted ,to be freely received; bothof asaid v:arms extending. toward. each other, said 15'; cutting arm being topmost .and. extending down- .i .wardlyand @aidcan" engaging arm extending-up- .-;wardly;. the tip ofuthe cutting. arm beingzcon- ;..siderably .be1ow'the tip of the can, engaging'arm ,so as to enable acutting; stroke: of theican opener H20 .7 to bezterminated when thexcan, opener is about (horizontal.

J ;MICHAEL A MIRAN'DO. 

